Slow Cooker Spicy Pinto Beans

Here, you have slow-cooker spicy pinto beans loaded with dried beans, onion, jalapeno, garlic, tomatoes, bacon, and more. This slow-simmered pinto bean offers a kick of spice and is a total comfort food.

Pack up and take to a potluck event, serve for dinner, great for the holiday entertaining, and more. Serve with a side of cornbread for a satisfying

close up of spicy pinto beans in a bowl

Using dried beans will allow for a budget-friendly dish that kids and adults can enjoy. Reduce the spice factor if you are serving it to kids. Make sure to check out my cowboy stew for another pinto bean recipe.

❤️ Why You’ll Love This Recipe

  • This is a dried bean recipe with a bit of vegetables; the rest is pantry essentials you might already have on hand.
  • Serve up these beans for a side dish or dinner idea all year round.
  • Great for a crowd or a dinner party.
  • It is versatile in terms of ingredients you add or take away from the mixture.
crockpot full of cooked pinto beans and peppers

🛒Ingredients

You only need simple ingredients to make these pinto bean recipes. So, pick up these ingredients next time you are in the store and share this delicious recipe with your family and friends.

  • dry pinto beans
  • onion
  • garlic
  • black pepper
  • cumin
  • diced tomatoes
  • jalapeno
  • bacon
  • vegetable broth
  • beef broth
White bowl of pinto beans on table

🔪 How to Make Spicy Pinto Beans

This is a quick overview of the steps needed to make this recipe. The full instructions are in the printable recipe card at the bottom of this post.

cooked pinto beans loaded with sauted veggies and bacon in a slow cooker

Step 1: Soak Beans

Start by soaking your beans overnight and removing any rocks or dirt clumps in the beans.

Add beans to the slow cooker. Cover with enough water to have a few inches above the beans. Let them sit overnight

Step 2: Cook Bacon and Drain Beans

Drain the beans and add them back to the slow cooker. While you do that, cook the bacon in a skillet until crispy. Then, dice it into bite-sized pieces.

Step 3: Assemble and Cook

Add your ingredients into the slow cooker and cook on high for 8 hours or low for 10 hours. Do not open the slow cooker, while it cooks.

Step 4: Stir and serve

Once the beans are done, simply serve up the beans, and use your favorite sides.

Collage of pinto beans and veggies in a bowl and then a wooden spoon scooping up some of the beans out of the slow cooker

🥄 Equipment

This is a list of the kitchen tools you will need to make this slow cooker pinto bean recipe.

  • Slow Cooker
  • Strainer
  • Knife
  • Cutting Board
spoonful of pinto beans that have been slow cooked all day in the slow cooker

🥫 Storage

Store the beans in a sealed container in the fridge for 3-4 days. Then reheat in the microwave, in a pot on the stove, or slow cooker.

Freezing is also an option. You can freeze the beans for 2-3 months. Then, thaw in the fridge overnight before you plan to serve them. Then, reheat to your liking.

spoon of spicy pinto beans being scooped up out of a white bowl

💭 Tips

Here are a few tips that you can use to help these slow-cooked beans turn out perfectly for you when you make them.

  • Look through the dried beans and make sure to remove any rocks or debris you find.
  • Soak overnight in water that is at least 2 inches above the level of the beans.
  • Do not open the lid as you cook the beans, as this can cause them to not fully cook through.
  • Ensure your bacon is fully cooked before adding to the slow cooker.
close up view of pinto beans, peppers, tomatoes, and bacon in a slow cooker all cooked up

⁉️ FAQ

Do you have questions about this recipe? Here are the answers to the most commonly asked questions.

How to make pinto beans not spicy?

De-seed and remove white membrane of jalapenos and only add peppers. That will tame down the spice. Or swap the jalapeno with green chilis that are mild.

Do I have to soak beans overnight?

Yes, soaking the beans overnight is a must. Otherwise, you will not end up with tender cooked beans.

Can I make with canned pinto beans?

Rinse and drain your can pinto beans and add other ingredoents and slow cook for 6-8 hours on low or 4-6 on high. This allows you to skip the step of soaking your beans.

wooden spoon scooping up pinto beans from slow cooker

Note: To make these beans vegetetarian use vegetable broth and swap out the beef broth and do not add in the bacon.

bowl of pinto beans with peppers and onions in it sitting on table

OTHER RECIPES YOUR FAMILY WILL LOVE:

Slow Cooker Spicy Pinto Beans

Slow Cooker Spicy Pinto Beans – Spicy pinto beans made in the slow cooker are the perfect side dish for barbecues, potlucks and picnics. Delicious served with a piece of cornbread! 
3.69 from 47 votes
Print Pin Rate
Course: reader favorites, Sides
Cuisine: American
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 7 hours
Total Time: 7 hours 15 minutes
Servings: 8 Servings
Calories: 203kcal
Author: Rob

Ingredients

  • 1 lb pinto beans
  • 1 medium onion, sliced
  • 4 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1 tsp black pepper
  • 1 tsp cumin
  • 1 tsp garlic powder
  • 15 oz can diced tomatoes , drained
  • 2 jalapeños seeded and chopped
  • 8 strips bacon
  • 32 oz vegetable broth
  • 14.5 oz can beef broth

Instructions

  • To soak the beans overnight, sort the beans, make sure there is no rocks, bad beans or dirt clumps.
  • Add the beans into your slow cooker insert. Cover with enough water to cover the beans plus a few inches. Let them sit overnight, do not turn on the slow cooker.
  • In the morning drain the water off the beans.
  • Cook the bacon until it is just crispy but not overly crisp. Add bacon and the remaining ingredients and stir.
  • Cover and cook on HIGH for 8 hours or LOW for 10 hours. DO NOT PEEK!!
  • Do not open the lid while they cook, or they will not get tender. This is important when it comes to cooking beans in the slow cooker.
  • When the cooking time is done, stir.

Disclaimer

Any nutritional data I provide is an approximation and actual dietary information can vary based on ingredients and proportion sizes.

Nutrition

Calories: 203kcal | Carbohydrates: 21g | Protein: 9g | Fat: 9g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 4g | Trans Fat: 0.03g | Cholesterol: 15mg | Sodium: 869mg | Potassium: 465mg | Fiber: 6g | Sugar: 3g | Vitamin A: 355IU | Vitamin C: 11mg | Calcium: 57mg | Iron: 2mg

This amazing recipe was inspired from my friend Terri Weir from Great Grubs Delicious Treats!

3.69 from 47 votes (46 ratings without comment)

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10 Comments

  1. I have not made these beans yet, but I am looking forward to making them for company that is coming to visit that we have not met yet. Recipe sounds so good.

    1. Thank you I hope you love it as much as we do when you decide to try it.

  2. Can I cook this with no beef broth and no bacon for a vegan dish?

    1. Sure you could use vegetable broth and leave the bacon out all together.

  3. Patricia Graley says:

    I would like to know how many calories are in a serving?

    1. Hi Patricia the nutritionals are in the recipe card. Maybe there was a glitch and they weren’t showing up.

  4. I’ve made these pinto beans a million times; this recipe is the BEST. The only thing I change is to double-up on the jalapenos and leave in the seeds 🙂

    1. so glad you like this recipe! We love it and the addition of double jalapenos sounds great

  5. 4 stars
    Husband loved it. I didn’t soak but cooked on high for 12 hrs. Also sautéed veggies in bacon fat. He also added smoked sausage instead of bacon.

    1. That sounds delicious and a complete meal!